Colostomy belt



Filed Feb. 24, 1949 s sheets-sheet 1 June 12, 1951 R. vERsoY ET AL 2,556,891

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ATTOR N EYS vJune: l2, 1951.A l. R. vERsoY ET AL 2,556,891

COLOSTOMY tBELT Filed Feb. 24, 1.949 5 sheets-sheet 2 W# ATTOR N YS I. R. VERSOY ET AL Jupe l2, 1951-v COLOSTOMY BELT 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 24. 1949 ATTORNEYS Patented `une 12, 1951 COLOSTOMY BELT Irving R. Versoy, New Haven, and Paul E. Munger,

Hamden, Conn.,

assignors to The Berger Brothers Company, New Haven, Conn., a, corporation of Connecticut Application February 24, 1949, Serial No. 78,036

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a belt designed particularly for use of those who have undergone a colostomy operation, and is so designed that while it covers the abdominal opening made in this operation, this covering is effected by a hinged or removable flap or panel so that convenient access may be had to the opening. Conversely, it may be said that the front section of the belt is provided with an opening designed to lie opposite the opening in the abdomen, and that a hinged panel or i'iap is provided to cover this opening in the garment.

In the treatment of certain diseases, particularly those ai'ecting the lower colon, such as cancer or ulcers for example, it is necessary to immobilize or make dormant the lower portion of the colon so that treatment of the aiilicted part may be accomplished. In this operation the colon is severed and the lower end of the upper portion is brought out through an opening in the abdomen so that the lower portion, or that portion below the point of severance, will be dormant. Defecation then takes place through the abdominal opening. In some instances a water-proof bag or receptacle is attached over the opening so that the elimination takes place into the bag. In other instances, the elimination is not a continuous process but the opening in the abdomen is closed with a pad of gauze and opened at intervals for the purpose of elimination.

It is contemplated by the present invention to provide a belt which may be worn by the patient so that any type of bag or pad may be used, the latter being held in place by the belt. To eiect this result the belt is provided with va front or abdominal section, which section is provided with a swinging panel or closure member covering an opening extending downwardly from the top of the section. This structure may be conveniently provided by two openings which extend downwardly from the upper edge of the section but terminate short of the lower edge, so that these two openings lie at the side edges of a central panel or flap hinged at its lower edge where, as shown, it is formed integrally with the front section of the garment.

Detachable fastening members are provided at the side edges of the hinged panel or along the edges of the openings which extend downwardly from the top of the section, so as to secure the panel in closed position when desired, but at the same time render it a convenient and simple operation for the user of the garment to detach these members and permit the flap or panel to swing about its hinged edge to permit access f to the opening inthe abdomen.

4One object of the invention is to provide a colostomy belt of such construction that the belt Will properly iit and confine the patient and at (the same time will permit access to the abdomen.

A further object of the invention is to provide a belt or girdle of the character described which is provided with a iront or abdominal section, this abdominal section being provided with a hinged flap or `closure member permitting access to the abdomen.

A stll'iurther object of the invention is to provide a belt having a front or abdominal section provided with a portion intermediate its side edges which is formed integrally with the section at its lower edge, but which is joined along its side edges (these edges extending to the top of the section) by detaching fastening members so that 'when the latter are released this panel or intermediate portion of the section may be swung about its hinged edge to provide access to the abdomen of the wearer.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a colostomy belt embodying our improvements;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational View of the abdominal or front section of the garment Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of this section of the garment;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a front orV abdominal section of slightly'modiied form; and

Fig. 6 is a front elevational View of the front section showing the intermediate portion in open position.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of our invention, we have shown a garment comprising a main section it having suitable stiiening stays H extending vertically thereof at spaced points along the horizontal dimension of the garment. These stays will lie principally at the back portion of this section of the belt, and extending forwardly from a point adjacent the side edges are relatively soft members i2 which extend toward the center of the iront portion of the garment.

Adjacent the side edges of this main section of the garment are provided buckles I3 adapted to receive the free ends of straps ll connected to the side edges of a front or abdominal section designated generally by the numeral l5.

This abdominal section is shown in greater detail in Figs. 3, 4, and 6, and, as shown in Fig. 3, may be described as being divided into side sections il and i8, and a center section or panel I9. These sections are integrally connected at the lower edge or this section of the garment but, beginning at points 2!) spaced from the lower edge, openings are formed in this section which extend upwardly to the upper edge of the section and denne the edges of the center panel i9. Thus,

3 by the formation of these openings, the center panel I9 is in the form of a nap or closure mem-- ber hinged about its lower edge and forming a closure member to close the opening between its side edges.

The side edges of the central portion I9 may ,in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 6.

.The straps lli are secured to the side pOtons Il and I8 cf the abdominal section and, as shown .in Fig. 3, there may be four of these straps which vextend across each of the side portions to the inner edges thereof so that the strain upon these members will be distributed entirely over the width of these side portions. As shown in Figt 3, a stay pocket may be provided o n theroutside of each of the fastening members 2j, and within these stay pockets are inserted stiening meinbers or steels 242 which extend from the top to the bottom of the section. O'n the inside of the fasteners i, a stiiening member 22 may extend vfrom the lower edge of these .fasteners to the lower edge of the garment. This will serve to stifen the central section cr panel i9 of the garment, but at the same time leave the upper portion of this section 'free to fold down when the fasteners 2| are detached.

Also, as shown in Figa,A the rear` or inner side .of the central section of the garment is covered by a sheet of water-proof plastic material such as vinylite. Openings are made in this sheet adjacent the fasteners 2l and flaps 24 may underlie these openings so that the fasteners lwill not come in contact with the body oi the wearer.

It may be found desirable to provide stiiening members throughout the length of the garmen on thecentral panel IS adjacent the fasteners 2 i.

. This is done, as shown at 25 in Fig. 5. It will be noted, however, that these upper Vstiliening rheinbers extend only to the lower edges of the fastening members 2i and that a separate stiffening "member 22 extends downwardly to the lower edge vof the garment. Thus the stiffening members on the panel I9 are Varranged in sections so that this panel may hinge downwardly at points between the upper stiiiening members 25 and the lower stil'ening members 22. The central portion or panel i9 of the abdominal section may be provided with stays or stifening members 2S adjacent the central portion of the garment and,

likewise, adjacent the side edges as shown at 2l.

Also, adjacent the side edges, straps V2t are -A stitched to the 'garment at spaced points as at 29 to provide pockets to receive the ends of the straps la, as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be understood that this improved belt illustrated herein may be used either by men or women, and that it is provided with an abdominal section having an opening to expose a part of the abdomen, this opening being closed by a central section or panel hinged at one edge to the section of the garment and adapted to be detachably secured at two opposite edges to the edges of the opening in order to normally close the opening and give the proper support to pads or other appurtenances which may be used by the` user. It will also be seen that when the zippers or fastening members 2| are detached this ceri tral panel may swing down'warlli'(` about its lower edge to give access to the abdominal opening which is present after a colostomy operation.

While we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, 'but 'is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What we claim is:

l. A colostomy belt comprising a main section to embrace the back and sides of the wearer, a front section, means adjustably connecting the side edges of said front section to the Vmain Asection to Aform a body-embracing garment, said iront section having spaced openings extending downwardly from its upper edge but terminating short of the lower edge to form a downwardly swinging panel between said openings, detachable fastening members at the edges of said openings, a stiening member extending along the outer edge of each of said openings, and a stiffening member extending upwardly from the lower edge of the lfront section and terminating terminating adjacent the lower edgeV of each of the openings adjacent the inner side thereof.

2. A colostomy belt comprising a main section to embrace the back and sidesof the wearer, a front section, means adjustably connecting the side edges of said front section to the main section to form a body-embracing garment, said front section having spaced openings extending downwardly from its upper edge but terminating short of the lower edge to form a downwardly swinging panel between said openings, detachable fastening members at the edges of said openings, a stii'ening member extending along the outer edge of each of said openings a stiffening member extending upwardly from the lower edge of the front section and terminating adjacent the lower edge of each of the openings adjacent the inner side thereof, and an additional stiffening member extending upwardly from a point adjacent the upper edge of said last named member whereby the stilening members at the inner sides of said openings are sectional.

3.v A colostomy belt comprising a main section to embrace the back and sides of the wearer, a front section, means adjustably connecting the sides of said front section to the main section to form a body-embracing garment, said front section having spaced openings extending downwardly from its upper edge but terminating short of the lower edge to form a downwardly swinging panel between said openings, detachable fastening members at the edges of said openings, a stiiTening member extending along the outer edge of each of said openings, a stiffening member extending upwardly from the lower edge of the Y front section and terminating adjacent the lower edge of each of the openings adjacent the inner side thereof, and substantially vertically extending stiening members at the intermediate portion of the panel member.

e. A colostomy belt having an openable panel member to expose that portion of the body of the wearer covered by the panel, said belt comprising 70, a main section embracing the back and sides of the wearer with the front edges of said section being spaced apart, a front section overlapping the free edges of the main section and covering l 'the space between said edges, means adjustably j connecting the side edges of the front section to the' 'main 'section to form a body-embracing 'gai'- 5 ment, said front section comprising an openable REFERENCES CITED panel intermediate its edges said Panel being The following references are of record in the permanently secured to the front section at its me of this patent:

lower portion, zipper means detachably securing the side edges of said panel to the adjacent por- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS tion of the front section above said lower portion Number Name Date and said securing means extending through the 888,330 Hill May 19, 1908 upper edge of the panel to permit the latter to 1,620,264 Lockwood Mar. 8, 1927 swing downwardly upon release of said securing 2,216,270 Jacks Oct. 1, 1940 means to permit access to the portion of the body 10 2,305,509 Amyot Dec. 15, 1942 of the wearer covered by the panel, and the inner 2,306,546 Kilsperi; Dec. 29, 1942 surface of the panel being covered with a waterproof material having side aps to underlie the meeting edges of the panel and front sections.

IRVING R. VERSOY. 15 PAUL E. MUNGER. 

